Turning Lemons to Lemonade
by writersblock24
Summary: Two-Shot. Stephanie has a bad day, followed by a bad night. Not Cupcake friendly at all. Babe.
1. Chapter 1

Here's another short story. Once again, hasn't been beta'd, so all mistakes are mine.

Not my characters, all Janet's.

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When life hands you lemons, you're supposed to make lemonade.

But what if the world wouldn't stop handing you lemons? And in fact, instead of handing them to you, they were chucking them straight at your head? What would you do then?

My name is Stephanie Plum, and I'm not sure that my life could get any worse.

But then again, I spoke too soon.

"Christ Cupcake," Joe said when I entered the house.

"It's not as bad as it looks." I say, hands up in a defensive stance.

"You're covered in garbage and I heard he had a knife!"

"It's just a scratch!"

He put his hands on his hips and said nothing. "I wish you could give up your damn job."

"What? That was the thing we agreed I could keep. I moved in with you. I go to dinner at yours and my parents'. I gave up seeing Ranger and the guys. This was the only thing that we compromised on!" I couldn't believe he was saying these things. Six months ago, I decided to clean up my act a little and give Joe and I a real shot. I gave up almost everything. I missed Ranger and the guys, but it was for the best. Joe gave me what Ranger couldn't. But every night, I still waited for him to break in and kiss me senseless before going off to save the world.

And every morning I wake up disappointed once again.

It was shocking to see how much my cell bill went down after all the Ranger/ Merry Men calls stopped. Even the calls to Lula have been few and farther between. We haven't been on the best of speaking terms since she and Tank are back together and she's on Ranger's side, but we still go out and catch skips together.

"I know, but we could be so much happier if you gave it up!"

"Joe, it's all I have left!"

"Then marry me and we can have kids! You'll have them and me to take care of!"

I didn't know how much fight I had left in me. "I can't do that, Joe."

"Why? Because you'd rather be with Ranger and his band of thugs? I thought we got him out of your system."

Hardly. But I didn't say anything.

He looked down at his shoes. "I don't think I can do this anymore. Give up the job or we're through."

I opened and closed my mouth, looking for the words to say; or the words he wanted. He sighed.

"I knew you couldn't make the decision. Get out, Cupcake. I don't want you anymore. I packed your things. Leave the key."

When I didn't move, he pushed me out the door and then sat my things on the stoop. "I'm sorry it has to be this way."

_Yeah, right_ I thought. But I didn't say it. He shut the door in my face.

Finding some composure, I collected all my things and headed for my car. When I didn't think it could get any worse, it did.

My car wouldn't start.

"Shit!" I screamed.

I sighed and got out. I toyed with the idea of going back to the door and trying to use his phone, but I couldn't. He broke me into submission and I had no fight left. I grabbed my purse and headed to find a pay phone since my cell was dead.

On the way down the street, the sky opened up and began to pour.

"Great! Got anything else for me?" I screamed up at the sky.

After walking what seemed like a mile, I found a pay phone. I managed to scrounge up enough change for one phone call. Who to call? My parents? No, I shouldn't bother them. Lula? Connie? Maybe, but they were still mad at me for turning my back on Batman.

And there was my answer. I knew down in my gut that no matter what, Batman would always come to the rescue. I dialed the familiar number.

"Hello?" A woman's voice answered. My voice was caught in my throat. Of course he's got a woman over, why shouldn't he? It's not like he should be pining after me. "Hello?" The voice called.

"Who is it?" I heard Ranger's voice in the background.

"I don't know."

The phone was handed off and another voice came on. "Who is this?" He said, sounding menacing. I managed a sob before hanging up. After hanging the phone up, I sat down on the ground and cried myself to sleep.

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Like it? Hate it? Let me know!


	2. Chapter 2

First of all, I'd like to thank everyone who reviewed. I was excited to see so many of you enjoying the story! Thanks so much! Hope you enjoy the conclusion.

Not mine.

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**Ranger's POV**

There was a knock on my door.

"Hello big brother." She said when I had opened it.

"Celia," I said, moving aside for her to come in.

"Mama hasn't talked to you in a while."

"I've been busy."

"Too busy for your family? You know better than that." She sat down on the couch and looked at me as I sat on the arm of the chair next to her.

"So did Mama send you over to check on me?"

"That and to send you a message. Get your ass to dinner on Sunday or we disown you."

I fought the urge to roll my eyes at that. My mother always threatened to disown me.

Of course the reason I was so busy is that I was trying to forget a certain blue eyed, brown haired beauty. We stopped talking six months ago and I feel like half of me had gone missing.

Now I know that I should just suck it up and go talk to her, but this time, she asked me to back off. That was completely different from the poaching she would stop. I figured that he would do something and she'd blow up and we could get back to the way things were, but it never happened. As the weeks went on, I noticed a change in her. She seemed sadder and quieter than the Stephanie that I love.

"Oh stop pouting. You'll find another girl." Celia said, crossing her arms.

"I don't…"

"Don't deny it. Lester's told us all about how Stephanie asked you to stand down."

I was going to kill Lester.

"She obviously wasn't the one. Go find her." She said, nonchalantly.

But she was. Stephanie Michelle Plum, my Babe, was my one. I'd given up on finding love a long time ago and then she walked into my life, turning my world upside down. There was a pull to her that I've never felt before. I knew immediately that she was my other half that my mother has been saying I need to find to be happy.

"You don't know what you're talking about Celia." I growled.

She smiled. "I think I do, little brother. I can tell by the reaction that you love her and I'm guessing she loves you and you're both too afraid to do anything about it."

Damn, that sounded about right. I avoided her and went into my closet to change into a pair of sweats. If she was going to be here for a while, I needed to get comfortable.

"Hello?" I heard Celia ask. She was holding my phone. Nosy sister. "Hello?" She asked again.

"Who is it?"

She shrugged. "I don't know." She handed me the phone.

"Who is this?" I growled. There was a sob and then nothing. I looked at the phone, confused.

"Who was it?" She asked.

"I…I don't know." I picked up my cell. "Hal, trace the last call on the main line."

Hal tapped a few keys on the computer. "It was coming from a pay phone on the corner of Main and Slater. Looks like a Marathon."

"Anyone in that area we're tracking?"

He tapped a few more keys. "No one during the…wait…Stephanie."

"What?"

"Her tracker puts her there at the time of the call."

"Where is she now?"

"Looks like she's still there."

I hung up and raced for the door, grabbing my keys on the way out.

Tank met me in the garage.

"What if Joe's there?"

"I'll take my chances. My guess he's not, since she called from a pay phone and not their residence."

"Ranger." Tank said, hands on his massive hips.

"It's Stephanie." I said looking at him. I think everyone except her knew how I felt. He nodded and let me go after her.

When I got to the pay phone, I saw that she had curled underneath the phone and fell asleep, clutching her bag to her chest. _That's my Babe_ I thought. She can truly fall asleep anywhere. I looked around and saw no car. It looks like she just walked. I hoped her car didn't blow up again.

Trying not to wake her, I scooped her up and carried her to the Porsche. She was shivering and dripping wet. I hoped she didn't get sick from her new version of camping.

She slept the entire way back to Haywood, only waking slightly to tell me that all of her stuff was in her car at Joe's. I informed Hal and he sent the tow to get her car. The men were standing around concerned when we returned to Haywood.

"How's Bombshell?" Lester asked.

"Is she going to be okay?" That was from Tank.

"Do you want me to make sure she's not sick?" Bobby wanted to know.

"Don't wake her." I said. She snuggled back into my arms as I carried her to the elevator and back to seven.

"Is she okay?" Celia asked as she opened the door.

"Fine, but she's cold and wet. I'm going to get her out of these clothes." Celia nodded and went back to the couch. I guess she wasn't leaving just quite yet.

Drying and getting her into one of my shirts and a pair of boxers, I placed her gently into the bed, where she unconsciously went to my side of the bed, as if I was there. And for a moment, I thought about joining her. But I still had to deal with my sister. I regretfully sighed and went to face Celia.

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**Stephanie's POV**

I woke up in a very comfy bed. Oh, god, I'm dead, right? I died last night. Crap! There was so much I had to do! I opened my eyes to see if God was sitting next to me.

Instead I found a woman. With familiar brown eyes…

"Stephanie," she said. "I'm so glad to meet you."

"Umm, thanks?"

She smiled at me. I sat up on the bed. That's when I noticed Ranger with his head still in the pillow, his arm gently around me. Ah, that explains the comfy bed.

The arm tightened around me and I heard a soft "babe."

Why would Ranger bring me here? Clearly he had someone else now and he didn't need or want me. And if this was sexual, I totally wasn't feeling it. I don't do girl on girl.

Ranger managed to cuddle a stiff me into his arms. He leaned on his free elbow to look at me. "What's wrong, Babe?"

"Why did you bring me here?" I asked in a whisper.

"I'll give you guys some privacy." The mystery woman said. She left the room and Ranger was looking at me with confusion and a little sadness.

"Babe, you were calling from a pay phone, you gave up your apartment six months ago, and I didn't know where to take you."

"But you have company."

"Celia? Is that what this is about?"

I shrugged, not looking at him.

In one fluid motion, Ranger was sitting with his back on the headboard cradling me. "Babe, is Celia the reason you're acting cold?"

Well, I wouldn't call it cold…

He continued without my answer. "Babe, she's my _sister_."

I looked at him. The eyes…

"You guys have the same eyes." I said out loud.

He nodded. "Our father's eyes."

I felt like a big fool.

"Babe," he said as he rubbed soothing circles on my back. "You have nothing to be embarrassed about."

"I thought that you and your sister…" I shivered and he chuckled.

"You had no idea. It's been six months."

Six long months…

"And I missed you."

I looked up at him with shock in my eyes. "You missed me? Why?"

He looked a little shocked. Well, as shocked as Ranger can look. "You have to ask?" He said.

I looked down. "I treated you and the guys like lepers. I would hate me if I were you."

"Oh Babe, the guys and I don't hate you. You made a decision to give you and Joe a real shot and we gave you the space you needed."

"Well it didn't matter anyway." I whispered.

"What happened, Babe?"

I debated whether I wanted to share the information with Ranger. Oh hell, he's going to hear soon enough, better just tell him now. "Joe threw me out."

"What?"

"Last night. That's why I called. I didn't want to wake my parents."

"Babe, I'm sorry."

"Why?"

"Because you're hurt and he treated you like trash."

I just shrugged. He brought a finger under my chin and forced me to look at him.

"Babe? You okay?"

I nodded. "It was a long time coming."

His brow furrowed. "How so?"

"I just couldn't keep him satisfied. Like every other man in my life."

"Oh, Babe," he said.

"No, it's true." I said, willing the tears to stay at bay. I didn't want Ranger to see me cry. "First there was Dickie, then Joe and you. I must be doing something wrong. No one wants me." I looked back down before his finger came back under my chin and brought it back up.

"What makes you think that I didn't want you?"

I opened my mouth and then shut it, unable to find anything to say.

"I never said that I didn't want you."

I shrugged. "You never said that you did."

"And that was my mistake and I'm deeply sorry."

I stared at him. "W…What?"

"I should've told you how I felt right away. Especially after our night together, but I didn't because I was afraid."

"Afraid of what?" I couldn't believe that Ranger was actually _afraid _of something.

"I was afraid of you."

"_Me_? Why?"

"Of losing you. You think that I have all the power in the relationship, but in reality you do. After we made love that night, I didn't want to risk losing you by shedding the bad ass persona and tell you how I felt. Ranger is the man you know, but Carlos is the one that loves you."

I stared into his beautiful brown eyes. "I'd like to get to know Carlos."

"Yeah?"

I smiled softly. "Yeah. I love you Carlos."

"I love you." And then he kissed me.

The End

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Let me know if there's any confusion!


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